Fruition
by grandlarseny
Summary: Love happens in unlikely places. A series of unconnected one-shots focusing on Yugi and Anzu, and their own particular brand of flirtation.
1. Loose Lips Sink Ships

AN: Welp, I new to the YGO fandom, and I'm still working my way through the manga and anime. Still, the plotbunnies were eating me alive, so predictably, I had to sign up for 30 kisses. I've also done fanart for this challenge, which I'll be posting on largso. deviantart. com within the next few days, if this pairing is your cup of tea. Thanks for reading!

Loose Lips Sink Ships

"This movie totally sucks

"This movie totally sucks." It was said with a grin, to soften the blow of the criticism.

"It doesn't suck. It's very romantic." Anzu pouted, chagrined that Yugi would voice objection to her movie selection. She never minded the movies he picked- it's almost like he filtered them to suit her tastes.

Yugi's face shifted in the cradle of his hands to shoot her a skeptical look, one eyebrow raised as if to say 'I can totally see through you. You like the boy with the pretty hair- and I _know_'.

"The suspense is somewhat ruined when we _already_ know the ship is going to sink." He retorted instead.

Anzu scowled and sunk deeper into her pillow. "But-but... _Leo_, Yugi."

She was rewarded this time with an eye-roll. "Yeah, _three hours_ of Leo. And I repeat- we _already _know the ship will sink!"

If it had been Jounouchi or Honda complaining, she may have been slightly defensive, but Yugi was laughing even as he was disparaging it, which almost augmented the experience- romantic movies were so much better when you watched them with someone who could poke fun at them and not be hostile about it.

The character of Rose Dawson chose the moment of Anzu's reflection to disrobe entirely. Immediately, Yugi's expression changed from exasperation to intent focus.

"Nevermind." He murmured vaguely, eyes glued to the screen. "I take back everything I said. This is the best movie ever."

"Yugi Mutou!" Anzu shrieked, and before Yugi could tear his gaze away from Kate Winslet's heaving bosom, he was being socked upside the head with his friends' pillow.

"Hey!" He protested, but Anzu just grinned and swung her pillow again.

Yugi blocked this time, and grabbed his own pillow for an answering attack. "It's not my fault she got naked! You picked the movie! And I _am_ a boy, y'know!" He yelped as Anzu's pillow thwacked him on the arm.

"Oh, I know." She shot back. "You can't help it. Don't worry, I'll beat those perverted thoughts out of you!" She made good on her threat by re-doubling her efforts.

"Ack! Gah!" Yugi curled in on himself as Anzu's flurry of beatings rained down on the pillow he was currently shielding himself with. "Geez, Anzu!"

"This is hurting me more than it's hurting you!"

Yugi's snort was demonstrative of his disbelief. He finally managed to uncurl himself as he put some space between himself and the amazon who could turn a cushion into a bludgeoning device.

He straightened into a confidant pose- his 'dueling stance'. "I'm the unrivaled Duel Monsters Champion. You don't think I can win a pillow fight?"

Yugi lunged, grabbing her wrists in one hand and swinging his pillow down with the other. The direct hit mussed up Anzu's hair and she growled in response.

"You don't stand a chance, Mutou."

There wasn't much talking after that, just squeals and grunts as the two teenagers took out their difference of opinion physically. Yugi, unbelievably, had been holding the upper hand, being slightly smaller and more squirmy than Anzu- until he tripped over one of his game boxes.

He hit the floor with a soft thud, and Anzu moved in for the kill. Leaping on top of him, she trapped his body underneath hers, and shoved her pillow over Yugi's face.

"Anzu!" She heard his muffled shriek from beneath the layers of stuffing, his arms flailing helplessly. "Can't breathe!"

Anzu adapted a bored expression even as she strained to control his struggling. "Gee, too bad. If only you'd surrendered."

"Unfair!" She heard Yugi protest.

"What was that?" Anzu feigned ignorance. "Did I hear a plea for mercy?"

She heard Yugi's laughter erupt from her pillow and the words she had been waiting for- "Alright, alright, mercy!"

Grinning, she threw the pillow off his face, giggling as Yugi gasped for breath. "I just so happen to be invincible when it comes to pillow fights." She informed him smugly.

As their laughter died, their eyes met, and Anzu became belatedly aware of their position- her lying full on top of the smaller boy, both of them panting and extremely disheveled. She should get up, she was probably crushing the poor guy-

She almost jumped when she felt Yugi place a hesitant but warm hand on her back, his lighthearted expression shifting into one of intensity and longing. The emotion was naked on his face for her to see, and it didn't startle her like she thought it would've- instead, it felt thrilling- inevitable. The atmosphere of the room shifted subtly. Her heart thundered in her ribs, her whole body becoming sensitive to everything- the pressure of his chest against hers when he inhaled, the way their legs were tangled, his uneven breaths soft against her cheek- how did their faces get so close? He was stroking his hand softly up and down her spine now, encouraging her...

'This is it.' She thought to herself as she felt her face heat and her hands shake. 'I'm going to kiss Yugi. Right now.' She lowered her lips to his deliberately.

The door was abruptly slammed open, and before she could really understand what that meant, she had flung herself off Yugi and was sitting halfway across the room.

"You kids okay?! I thought you were being mugged up here!" Grandpa Mutou's voice cemented her mortification- she decided her hands were a huge point of interest.

Yugi groaned from where he still lay sprawled on the floor and propped himself up on his elbows. "We're fine, Grandpa." His voice was edgy with restrained frustration. "We were just having a pillow fight."

Sugoroku's eyebrows rose and a sly grin split his face. "Looks more to me like you were necking." He commented bluntly. Anzu tried to resist the urge to drop her face into her hands and hide there forever, but the compulsion proved too strong.

Yugi let out an exasperated noise and let himself collapse back onto the floor. He muttered a few words, sounding suspiciously like "no, thanks to you" but they were ignored by his grandfather.

"Well, who am I to interrupt the lovebirds? Kiss all you want! Ha ha ha ha!" He cackled as he slammed the bedroom door shut again.

Maybe she'd be struck by lightening- or the floor would cave in? Really, that was the only way to get out of this situation with dignity intact- sudden and unexpected death.

She felt warm fingers prying her hands away from her face as she met Yugi's sympathetic eyes. "I'm really sorry about that." He apologized, his hold lingering a bit too long. "_Really_ sorry." His tone was mournful.

She didn't pull away from his grasp. "Th-that's okay." She stuttered, still recovering from her near-death-by-embarrassment experience.

Most boys would've tried to pick up from where they'd been interrupted, but Yugi was sensitive enough to understand Anzu felt uncomfortable now. Smiling at her to help dissipate the awkwardness, he helped her up and handed her the pillow she had discarded.

"You're missing out on Leo." He teased half-heartedly.

Anzu was relieved he wasn't mentioning what his grandfather had barged in on, but neither did she want the issue to drop entirely, so when they were settled once again to resume their movie, she turned to him with a shy smile.

"Can we do this again soon?" She asked, hoping he'd understand what she really meant.

He looked at her and then paused a second too long as if he were feeling her statement out. She caught his eye meaningfully and he smiled back.

"Any time you want, Anzu." He said significantly.


	2. Choking Hazard

AN: A little more adult than my other stories, but only for (heavy) suggestion. ;) Yugi isn't always as innocent as everyone makes him out to be. And Jounouchi knows it too.

Choking Hazard

"I play Mountain Warrior!" Jounouchi slapped the card on the desktop with a decisive smack.

It was their lunchtime duel, but Yugi was only giving half his attention to the game- the other half was being pleasantly occupied with the blow pop Anzu was pulling the wrapper off of.

"Your turn, Yug." Jounouchi prompted after a few seconds ticked by silently, in which Anzu contemplated the sweet, and Yugi contemplated her.

"Oh right, yeah…" he replied vaguely, and attempted to focus on his deck instead of his crush.

Or he would have, except-

Anzu chose that moment to plunk the lollipop into her mouth, an action Yugi painstakingly documented in his peripheral vision. Most girls would just shove the treat awkwardly into one cheek to absently enjoy, but not Anzu- she _savored_ it. He was hypnotized as she rolled the candy around on her tongue, the soft sucking noises and her low _'mmmm'_s wreaking havoc on his hormones. Dropping any pretense of concentration, he played the first card his hand touched, openly staring as Anzu pulled the blow pop from her lips with a wet _'pop!'_. He fought the urge to groan as her tongue did a slow sweep across her lower lip, eliminating any lingering sugar residue- sixteen or no, Yugi just didn't think it was normal to get turned on by watching a girl eat a lollipop.

Suddenly, she met his eyes, aware at last of his attention. He dropped his gaze hastily, feeling his cheeks heat to scarlet, thanking his luck than Anzu didn't posses the ability to read minds. His cards came into focus- including the one he had just played. Talk about a bad choice. He looked up to see Jounouchi giving him a knowing smile as he confidently fingered a card in his deck. Yugi knew he had lost the duel, but all he could seem to be concerned about was the flavor Anzu's mouth would taste like if he kissed her.

Jounouchi wasn't one to resist an opportunity for a good ribbing. "Man, Yugi, that card _blows_."

Yugi's heart stopped for a full second before it picked up again at record speed- was he that transparent? But honestly, could he be blamed for a bad move? The girl he was in love with was doing sexy and downright provocative things to a lollipop right in front of him, and he was expected to focus on a card game? Ha. Ha ha.

"I was distracted." he explained through his teeth, praying for Anzu's ignorance on Jounouchi's double meaning.

"Oh! I know what he needs!" Anzu exclaimed, unaware of the subtext.

"I'll be you do." Jounouchi drawled, his evil smirk saying more than the words.

To Yugi's horror, Anzu bent over dangerously close to his lap. For one insane moment, he wondered if Pegasus had loaned out the Millenium Eye, but he soon realized that she had just been rummaging through her bag. Jounouchi snickered at him over Anzu's head- _'Your face!'_ he mouthed- and then she straightened.

"Ta-da!" She held a blow pop out to the shorter duelist, winking as he reached to numbly accept. "Sometimes having something to suck on helps me concentrate."

Jounouchi's snickers immediately upgraded themselves to guffaws as Yugi's head hit the desk at the speed of light.

Anzu just blinked in confusion and chalked it up to a boy thing.


	3. Faith Healing

AN: Still getting used to Anzu's character. Despite all my tweakings, I still think she's a bit off here. :/ grrr!

Faith Healing

"Say ahhhh!"

Anzu huffed and crossed her arms. Well, one of them. "You're smiling. You're enjoying this."

Yugi grinned. "Oh, you bet. Now, the doctor said to rest after surgery, and you can't feed yourself with your left arm, sooo..."

Anzu sighed and opened her mouth for the ramen laden chopsticks Yugi insistently offered. As she chewed, she studied her unexpected caretaker, feeling her stomach flipflop at the gentle, possessive quality his expression held. Didn't he have more important things to do than feed her?

"I'll be alright, you know." She reassured him before he could stuff more noodles down her throat. "My arm will heal soon, and until then there's pizza..." She trailed off at Yugi's drooping arm and sad smile.

"Would you like me to go?" He asked, his happy glow a tad dimmer.

"Nothing like that." Anzu protested. She hesitated a few moments before coming clean. "I just didn't want you to feel obligated. I know you're busy."

Yugi relaxed at her words. "Well, I don't. Busy or no, I want to be here. You're always taking care of me- I never get to return the favor."

Anzu laughed. "Please, Yugi. I hardly need it. You're the one who's always taking crazy risks. Mostly for the benefit of others..."

It hung unspoken that, this time, she had paid the price for it. Anzu wasn't the type to blame, but Yugi was- as long as that person was himself. She just hoped his gesture wasn't out of guilt.

Yugi held up a hand to interrupt. "Anzu...I don't know if anyone's ever mentioned it before, but you're the type of girl who should always have someone who's looking out for her- whether it's needed or not."

Anzu sucked in a sharp breath. Yugi and she never talked about how they felt about one another- it had been a complicated affair at the least when Atem had still been on their plane of existence, but even though he was gone and feelings about it resolved, the carefulness around one another was still there. If they looked at each other a little too intently, or if their bodies were too close, Yugi would clear his throat, or she would cough politely- a reminder. _'We're friends, remember? Friends don't almost make out like there's no tomorrow. Damn it.'_ If Yugi noticed her shock, he didn't comment or acknowledge it- merely kept speaking.

"I'll never understand why you've been with us- me- all this time. It's always one crisis or another. If things go well, you're second place to all the drama, and if it's bad- you get a broken arm. Maybe worse. You deserve so much more than that. You're beautiful and talented and caring- there's so much more waiting for you than a life spent supporting friends who endanger you, but you stay. I'm not stupid enough to stop you, but I couldn't bear it if..." he trailed off, and for a second Anzu thought he had finished, but he straightened, adding one more thing. "All during school, I always hoped that one day, I'd be able to give you back some of what you did for me. Well, I get a chance now. I'm happy."

Anzu was silent as he gathered some more noodles between the chopsticks for her. "So, anyway. Say ahhhh!"

She didn't respond, or even glance in his direction. Yugi took it in stride- he had just revealed more to her about his feelings for her than he had in the entire time he had known her.

"Seriously," he warned, "open up, or I'll do the airplane thingy."

She finally met his gaze and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"The soup's not working." She confessed in a fragile voice and a shy smile. "I think you need to kiss it better instead."


	4. Thermodynamics

AN: Just some silly interjection into anime continuity. A little 'what if' scenario, if you will. :) Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy.

Thermodynamics

Yugi should've known that the lecture of a lifetime was coming. After all, his two best friends had just pulled his prone body from a burning building because he was too stubborn to let go of the puzzle. He supposed the near-death-experience gave them a right to vent their frustration, but that didn't mean he would've done things any differently. He sighed and picked at the coarse hospital blanket covering his lap. His hands were bandaged, from where the kiss of flame had scalded his skin.

Anzu walked back in with their drinks a few minutes into the ranting. Sitting down, she wordlessly passed him his soda. Jounouchi snatched his out of her hand, without pausing in his impassioned speech.

"And what is up with that chain?! It's just excessive, and it could've meant you'd have a lot more than some minor burns and smoke inhalation! You're so lucky we found that crowbar! Only a crazy person wouldn't have left that puzzle behind!" Jounouchi's normal guttural tones were reaching uncomfortably nasal notes. Honda was nodding vehemently behind him, as if Jounouchi were speaking gospel instead of displacing the lingering emotions Yugi's scare had inspired.

Yugi shot Anzu a miserable look, somewhat embarrassed she was witness to this. He needn't have bothered however- she was already out of her seat, hand clenched around her drink, her expression ready to defend. Yugi supposed old habits died hard, especially considering this wasn't the first time she'd stood up to Jounouchi for his sake. Still, it almost embarrassed him more to have her come to his rescue- again. His eyes returned to his lap.

"That's enough, Jounouchi!" She commanded harshly. "Don't you know how important that puzzle is to Yugi!? He made a precious wish on-"

Yugi jerked his gaze from his knees to her face. Panic welled up in his throat- that had been a secret. One he had only ever shared with Anzu, and one that he wanted to keep that way. She caught his sharp movement and severe expression, and immediately clamped her mouth shut, understanding instantly that she had broached a subject that was intended to remain unspoken.

Jounouchi hadn't caught the silent communication, however. "Wish? What are you talking about?" He asked suspiciously, and Yugi felt a nervous sweat break out. He knew Jounouchi wouldn't drop it until he found out, and that was one thing the shorter duelist just didn't want to share.

"And besides..." Anzu continued shakily, but Jounouchi wouldn't back off.

"What were you going to say, Anzu?" He asked sternly, his posture going predatory.

Anzu looked to Yugi, and he held her gaze, his eyes pleading with her.

She turned back to Jounouchi. "AND BESIDES," She continued as if she hadn't heard him before, "-you shouldn't rag on his chain. I..."

She hesitated a second, gulping.

"I...I think it's hot!"

The room was silent all but for the quiet whoosh of three jaws dropping. Anzu smoothed her clothes with flustered fingers, fighting down a healthy flush.

"So...just leave him alone already!" She finished somewhat vehemently, grabbing her purse and stalking out the door for the final time that day.

Yugi thought he might have heard her mutter 'stupid boys' as she stomped by, but he couldn't be sure over the pounding of his heart in his ears. He knew she had only said it to provide a distraction, but he couldn't help the blush that stained his cheeks or the organ hammering away in his chest. The monitor that read his pulse through a clamp on his pointer finger beeped a little worriedly at the steep increase.

The boys waited until her footsteps faded to dare reacting. Yugi let out a whoosh of air, while Jounouchi and Honda turned towards him with criminally sly expressions.

"So, Yug..."

"Dude, Yugi..."

And in a split second, they had pounced on him, heedless of his injuries.

"Man, I knew it! She totally wants you! Did you see the way she said it?!"

"Dude, I always knew she was into kinky stuff! And you definitely dress the part!"

Somewhere between the very male encouragement, rough noogies and his own outraged protests, he heard a voice pipe up from the confines of his own mind.

'_I told you she'd think you were cool!"_

Yugi stifled a groan at Yami's excited pronouncement.

'_Other me, it doesn't matter.'_

'_You are being stupidly obstinate, aibou. First you deny you like her, then you deny she likes you.'_

"-all over you like fudge on a sundae, you little Casanova!" Jounouchi practically squealed, he and Honda babbling back and forth excitedly.

'_I _don't_ like her!' Yugi denied to his alter ego._

'_Aibou, it's pointless to try and lie to me. I _do_ inhabit this body as well. The argument is kinda moot.'_

Yugi _did_ groan this time and attempted to bury his head under the hospital sheets. Mortification burned heavy in his cheeks and on the back of his neck, and he found a small part of himself wishing that Anzu had used a less dramatic distraction to keep his secret safe.

Still...that vulnerable look she had when she said it... he could almost believe she hadn't _totally_ been lying. He smiled to himself as Jounouchi and Honda continued to make scandalous suggestions and his other self argued persistently in his own thoughts, his fingers finding the chain around his neck.

_Hot_, huh?


	5. Implications, Lesbians and Near Death Ex

AN: A big thank you is in order for my beta, Califaction, for her invaluable input, and her grammardar. :D You rock!

Implications, Lesbians, and Near Death Experiences

Every day when Yugi got on the bus, he thought to himself- 'Today is gonna be fun!' It was his way of psyching himself up for a routine that, at best, was mind-numbingly boring, and at worst was an experiment with his thresholds for pain tolerance. Lately it had been more the former, thanks to his recent friendship with former bully Katsuya Jounouchi. The threat of his retaliation, plus Anzu's, had pretty much discouraged anyone from messing with him as of late.

Anzu.

As Yugi grudgingly trudged up the steps and into the bus, he found he couldn't even entertain the concept of fun. Not because of lectures, or bullies, or even dreaded homework. No, it was because today would possibly be the last of his life, and how could anyone look forward to the day they were going to die?

Yugi knew that once his oldest friend and crush took a look at what was on the video Jounouchi was going to lend him, she'd either hate him forever or break him in half. In his opinion, having Anzu hate him was way worse than anything that could be physically done to him. He pictured her pretty face twisting until it was cold and filled with loathing.

Yeah, he'd definitely prefer being broken in half.

He suppressed a flinch as he heard his stop announced, and exited the bus much in the same manner he boarded- with a suffocating sense of dread.

His heart dropped to his stomach as the school gates came into view.

This was it.

His tiny, miniscule chance with Anzu had been totally blown, all because of porn.

Now he'd have to see her face, along with the horrible realization that she now knew he was interested in girls.

A lot.

Especially her.

She'd be suddenly aware of every appreciating glance he gave her, especially when she wore blue. Any time he brushed against her, she'd probably know it wasn't totally accidental, and god forbid she even be marginally aware of what was on his mind when he watched her in gym class. He could kiss any friendship with her goodbye if that ever got out. And now that kissing had been brought up- he supposed he shouldn't hold his breath for any of that, either.

He could only hope a sudden earthquake would open up the ground so he could be swallowed up and saved the humiliation that awaited him in the schoolyard. This was Japan right? The odds were in his favor, even!

Silently, he cursed all the pornography of the world, understanding now why it was such a big deal. It wasn't the watching it part that was all that terrible- it was the getting caught part that ruined the lives of young teenage boys.

Anzu came into view, seemingly engaged in conversation with Jounouchi. From the looks of Jounouchi's expression, it was a painful one. She was grinning like the cat that had the canary while she dangled the infamous tape back and forth in front of Yugi's friend with two delicate fingers.

Yugi hunched in on himself as much as possible, and tried to slink by them unnoticed, but Anzu caught sight of him easily. In addition to pornography, Yugi also cursed his extremely conspicuous hair.

"Ohhh Yuuuugi!" She called to him, and his heart rate shot through the roof, a nervous sweat breaking out on his palms.

He turned around slowly, tensed, ready for whatever punishment she deemed fit.

In her momentary distraction, Jounouchi snatched the tape from her grasp, and then, to Yugi's complete mortification, stuffed it in the shorter gamer's backpack.

"Here, give that back to me tomorrow," he drawled, before shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling into the building far too fast to be casual. Yugi couldn't control the blush that was liberally coloring his cheeks.

He gulped and finally met Anzu's gaze. Whatever excuse he could've used was now totally debunked- Jounouchi had left him with the smoking gun! He could feel the tape burning as it pressed against his back, all the carnal pleasures it whispered of sounding more like death tolls.

He laughed nervously, one hand scratching his neck, trying to think of something to say, but couldn't think of anything that didn't have some kind of perverted double meaning. Even such innocuous phrases as 'Hey there', or 'how's it going?' seemed to take on a totally different meaning in such a circumstance.

Fortunately, Anzu saved him the trouble of breaking the ice.

"Geez Yugi, you look like you're about to have a heart attack." She laughed a little, and though Yugi's embarrassment only deepened, he did relax a bit- clearly, she didn't hate him. His worst fear had been put to rest.

"It's probably because I think I am," he confessed, surprised that he had managed to be so forthright with her.

Her amusement faded to a sympathetic smile. "Ah man, here I thought I'd tease you silly about this- but I don't have the heart to when you have that worried expression on your face."

"You're not mad at me?" he asked, somewhat incredulous. He had expected accusations, screaming, outrage- body slams! Mmmm, body slams. Wait-

Anzu was looking at him like _he_ was the crazy one. "For doing what? Acting like a normal teenager? Borrowing a tape that most guys already have ten copies of? You've always been more mature than the other boys. I think you deserve some brownie points for that."

Yugi's eyes widened. He'd always thought Anzu had only ever seen him as a kid. Was she saying she was seeing him as an equal?

"I'll admit I was a little surprised, but I think that's natural. I mean, lesbians? Jounouchi's rubbing off on you more than I thought." Anzu grinned, back to light hearted, and Yugi's face was red once more.

"A-Anzu!" He exclaimed, sounding thoroughly scandalized, conveniently forgetting that he had been the one with the intent of watching the tape.

"Oooh, that got a blush!" She smiled and winked. "I like it when you do that. It's cute."

His face was happy to oblige her aesthetics, scarlet flushing all the way down his neck as he watched her turn and skip into the main hall, feeling more hopeful than he had in years. He entered the building himself, patting the tape in his backpack, unable to stop the broad smile from splitting his face practically in two.

Thank god for pornography!


	6. For Your Viewing Pleasure

For Your Viewing Pleasure

"I'm hoooome." Anzu called out to an empty apartment. Dropping her book bag thoughtlessly to the floor, she walked down the hall to her bedroom, the tape she had snatched from Yugi and Jounouchi in hand- honestly, she had just wanted to find out what could interest Yugi beyond games, and badly enough that he would borrow it from Jounouchi, too. But then their reactions after she's intercepted their exchange were too panicked- it was then she knew she'd stumbled onto something _good_. Whatever was in her hand would be a priceless teasing and bargaining chip- she just didn't know what it was.

She had her answer once she shoved the tape into her VCR. Two naked women flicked onscreen, engaging in a passionate kiss, their hands roaming over each other's blurred out breasts. A man joined them, sandwiching himself between the two lusty women.

Anzu stared with open-mouthed shock at the explicit scene.

Yugi…liked _porn_?!

The idea itself astonished her thoroughly. Yugi- who never joined the boys in rating their female classmates? Yugi- who blushed even when she was giving him noogies? Yugi- who always looked at her face, even when she was in her gym shorts?

But her mind was catching up quickly. He had been growing recently- he was definitely taller than he was last year. His voice had a deeper quality to it than it had before, and sometimes he got a faraway look in his eyes if she mentioned something perverted. Well, hell. And she had been hoping she could blame it all on Jounouchi.

Yes, Yugi Mutou had hit puberty somewhere along the line, and she had been totally oblivious. Some friend she was.

The trio on the screen moaned and Anzu couldn't suppress a cringe. The idea of Jounouchi watching this kind of stuff grossed her out. But when she pictured Yugi doing the same, she wasn't disgusted. Rather, she was…intrigued. Yugi had always been cute, and nice...and now that there was evidence of his sex drive right in front of her, she found that it changed the way she perceived him somehow.

Stopping the tape, she rewound it, looking forward to the fun she would have holding this over her friends' heads tomorrow. She didn't know how well they'd take it, but one thing she did know for certain-

She'd never look at Yugi in that leather shirt the same way again.


	7. As Told By

AN: The idea of Yugi as an archeology student is not original- it's borrowed from MyAibou's Identity and Revival series, which I can't recommend enough if you're a fan of this pairing (or Yu Gi Oh in general). Hopefully she won't mind me borrowing it- I can just see Yugi so well in that role that it was almost impossible not to do my own little take on it. ;) Many thanks to Califaction for the beta. Also, I love Jonouchi. That is all.

As Told By

Katsuya Jonouchi, age 18, on my way to being recognized as a World-class duelist.

That is, if my friendship with Yugi Mutou doesn't kill me first...

Currently, I'm running faster than I have in at least two years down a stone hallway in some old Egyptian ruins. Behind me are my best friends- Hiroto Honda, Anzu Mazaki, and yeah- Yugi freakin' Mutou. Who can't run worth crap, by the way.

"Pick up those feet, Yugi!" I hear Anzu yell, and I can see her dragging him by the arm in my peripheral vision. .

"Easy for you to say." Yugi complains, and I know he's gotta be struggling. The kid had only grown all of two inches since high school, still leaving him the smallest out of all us. "Your legs are like, five feet long."

My heart skips a beat as an inhuman roar bellows from the innards of the structure- it was a lot closer than it had been two seconds ago. I hear Yugi let out an embarrassingly feminine shriek, and all of sudden a spiky-haired blur of motion is barreling towards me.

"Wow," I hear Anzu and Honda comment, their terror temporarily waylaid by sheer awe.

He catches up to me easy now that he's as scared as us. "Y'know, Yug, I thought this batshit supernatural phenomena stuff was finished!" I yell at him through my gasps for air, pretty annoyed that I am _once again_ racing for my life.

Yugi's answering smile is sheepish. "Well, I didn't _know_ the site we were excavating was cursed!"

"My precious vacation!" Anzu wailed behind me. "Spent running away from crazy Egyptian statues that come alive."

There's light ahead, finally, and we break through the entrance in a mad frenzy of survival instincts and blind adrenaline.

We're not alone.

There are men on horses wearing strange robes. We all stop and size one another up for a few precious seconds- but it can't be maintained. I collapse onto the sand, figuring they must be alright if they haven't tried to kill me already. I crack an eye open and finally notice that Yugi has gone stock-still.

"You..." he murmurs, and it's obvious even to me that he's seen these guys before.

"You have awakened the curse of the tomb, Pharaoh. Unless we do something, disaster is near."

I groan at this. Seriously. I've had enough of Egypt and their freakin' doom squad to last me a couple thousand years. You'd think someone would've installed better safeties on these ancient world-threatening curses. "C'mon, give us a break, guys. We already saved the world- _twice_! Isn't there anyone else up for the job?"

One spares me a raised eyebrow, but on the whole my glib comment is ignored. Anzu has crouched near me, and I can see Yugi's sense of duty weighing his shoulders down like a yoke.

"I'm not a Pharoah- not in this life anyway," Yugi protests, "But I'll do what I can."

Anzu swears softly, and I'm inclined to agree.

The men seem appeased by this answer, but Honda isn't. He pushes Yugi behind him, as if he could shield him bodily from the responsibility. "If Yugi goes, I go." he declares, all nobility and loyalty. Typical. He's always trying to show me up.

"Ngh," I grunt, somehow managing to haul myself from my sandy resting spot. "Same goes for me." It sounds more like resignation from my lips, but I don't worry- they all know where my heart is. Anzu is silent behind me, but her fists are clenched.

"It will be very dangerous. You may even lose your lives." The leader warns, and this time Anzu groans.

Everyone stops and stare as she stomps over to Yugi, one finger pointed in his face for emphasis. "I should've known, Yugi Mutou! It's never simple is it?! I can't just spend time with you- there has to be evil monsters, and undead threats and past lives! And now you're planning to charge back into the face of danger!" Her voice is rising to levels that would make dogs uncomfortable. Yugi is cringing with every syllable, and he seems to be steeling himself for an inevitable beating. I can feel my head throb in sympathy with many blows remembered.

Anzu stops for a second as she inhales deeply. Her anger is palpable. Damn, that woman is scary.

She mutters her next words. "Figures it would come to this." Then she lifts her head and addresses the whole group. "There's just some things a girl's supposed to experience before she might die!"

And without ceremony, she hauls Yugi up by his collar and plants a big one right on his lips.

The mysterious desert men seem shocked, but to be honest, I'm not. About damn time, in my opinion. Yugi doesn't seem to mind in the slightest that Anzu is engaging him in serious liplock action in front of his best friends and some jerks who think he's a Pharaoh. Guess the guy has waited too long to be picky.

The creature roars again, but their kiss still doesn't break. I walk over to Honda and we exchange a glance. The scene is a strange one: a lost people whispering amongst each other- "_Who knew the Pharaoh would be so short?_"- and two Japanese teenagers kissing like their lives depended on it, while their two (charming, handsome!) friends steel themselves for ensuing chaos. Oh yeah, and the gigantic Egyptian monster-statue hot on everyone's heels.

Somewhere, someplace, I could be winning a duel in an important tournament, building up my reputation, working towards that world-class duelist title...

The creature breaks through the entrance in a shower of shattered brick and sand, and Anzu and Yugi finally tear themselves away from each other. The desert guys are grabbing us, shoving us onto their horses, racing through the sweltering heat and dunes.

...but there's not time for that now. There's ass to kick and names to take.

My name's Katsuya Jonouchi.

This is just another day in my life as Yugi Mutou's best friend.


	8. What Remains

AN: I THINK THIS ONE IS SORT OF LAME! But in any case, I hope you enjoy it!

What Remains

* * *

Anzu had amazing eyes. They were large, long lashed, and perfectly blue. It was Anzu's eyes that Yugi had first noticed, (huge and curious in the face of an eleven year old) and they were consequently his favorite feature of hers. Anything you needed to know was written in them clearer than even spoken word. When she was angry, they were electric, magnetic, lightening recklessly crashing into the earth. When she was laughing, they were cool distant mountains and summer skies, calming and joyful- you could look away, but why would you want to? When she was tired, they were a faded pair of jeans, morning mists, quiet, intimate, but always inviting.

Yugi found them most beautiful after she had been crying. Despite her blotchy face and runny nose, as soon as he would meet her gaze he'd forget simple things like inhaling, leaving him as breathless as if she'd kissed him. During those times, her eyes would be glowing like twilight, precious gemstones, exotic butterflies, the type of oceans you see on postcards for tropical islands. They were every blue he could think of, melting, mixing, holding so much feeling he thought the analogy of drowning would be a literal one.

He ran into her on the ship's deck, on the way home from the Ceremonial Battle. Today he had become wholly himself. Today he had been ripped in two. There was too much bouncing around inside of him- grief, satisfaction, regret and pride. An emptiness that was both right and wrong. The juxtaposition of emotions more than confused him, and eventually drove him from his bed.

She had been standing at the railing as if she'd known he'd go there, and that had made sense to him. He thought that if anyone could understand his position, it would be her. At first he assumed her to be merely thinking. As she swung around to face his sudden intrusion, he realized he had been very wrong. The emotion in her eyes tore through him like a hurricane. The vulnerability in that unguarded moment made his throat close- made the threat of his own tears a substantial one. Was any of that anguish for him? How ugly for him to want that- and yet, how true.

'I love you!' he wanted to scream. 'I love you so much, it'll be enough. It'll be enough to lift you up and make you happy again! It will be enough to compensate for him. It will be enough to make you love me back. I swear.'

Instead, he swallowed and looked away, unable to stand the accusation he saw there.

They stood at an awkward distance, suffering an awkward silence. 'When did things become so complicated?' Yugi wondered. 'How did a relatively straightforward case of unrequited love become so convoluted?'

Anzu finally broke the stillness by moving to stand behind him. Her hands slid over his shoulders, looping him in a loose embrace. She cleared her throat, but when she spoke, her voice was still thick. "I'm sorry."

Yugi feigned ignorance. "For what?"

She just squeezed his biceps, acknowledging his kind lie but not speaking against it.

Anzu sighed her next sentence. "You're in the most pain, aren't you?" Yugi jerked at this, not expecting her to be thinking of him in such a charged situation. After all, he knew how she felt about the Pharaoh.

Turning him within her arms, she bent down to his height. "And even so, you've been the strongest." She considered his choker, his chin, his wayward bangs. "I'm so selfish sometimes, Yugi. It takes me so long to see the obvious." She smiled ruefully, and finally met his gaze. He felt dizzy, overwhelmed with the bared emotion of her expression. "So, I'm sorry."

She blinked, and a tear trickled down her cheek. Yugi hugged her to him to prevent her from seeing the tears that had gathered in his own eyes. They held each other, breathing, waiting for the hurt to pass.

He had felt...hope. There had been room for him, there in the tremble of her chin, in the moisture on her cheek. A space just for Yugi- not because he could win duels, or speak confidently, or any of the number of things the Pharaoh had lent him. Only because he was who he was. If everything completing the puzzle had earned him was taken back now that Atem had moved on, Yugi knew that at least one thing would remain- Anzu would stay.

When she had looked at him, he had finally felt like he was being _seen_.

Her eyes hadn't been anything in that moment except for perfect.

Perfect blue.

* * *


End file.
